Austin Community College students are saving millions of dollars in textbooks costs through new course and degree options known as Z-degrees and zero textbook cost (ZTC) classes.
The courses use zero-cost learning materials called open educational resources (OER). OER provide students openly licensed, high-quality course materials in place of proprietary textbooks. The materials are available online for free on the first day of class.
“On average, textbooks cost about $100 each. This can be a heavy burden for many students,” says Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott, ACC associate vice president of academic programs. “Z-classes help relieve some of that pressure by offering all course materials at no cost.”
This fall, the college launched two Z-degree programs: the Associate of Science in General Studies and the Associate of Arts in General Studies. Each program provides a zero textbook cost pathway through to completion saving students on average about $2,000 in textbook costs.
“Anytime I can save money, it helps. It can be hard to pay for classes and all the books and materials that we need to go with it,” says Alfredo Hernandez, ACC Z-class student. “These online books make a big difference. And they also help me keep up. Since everything we need is online, I can pull up my textbook on my phone whenever I need.”
Since its launch in spring 2017, more than 21,000 students have enrolled in Z-degrees programs and courses resulting in a savings of more than $2.1 million in textbook costs.
| Semester | Students Enrolled | Total Savings | Number of Course Sections |
| Spring 2017 | 707 | $70,700 | 29 |
| Fall 2017 | 3,142 | $314,200 | 112 |
| Spring 2018 | 4,709 | $470,900 | 192 |
| Summer 2018 | 3,049 | $304,900 | 118 |
| Fall 2018 | 9,600 | $960,000 | 410 |
| TOTAL | 21,207 | $2,120,700 | 861 |
Enrollment for spring 2019 is underway with 400 z-class offerings available. Students may search for zero textbook cost sections by course and campus using the “sort” option in Student Planning.
Z-degree and z-classes are one of several initiatives at ACC designed to save students money on textbook materials. Textbook cost savings across all programs totaled nearly $3 million as of fall 2018.
For more information about Z-degree programs and courses, visit austincc.edu/zdegree. To register for spring, visit austincc.edu/spring.
Tags: cost savings, OER, paying for college, textbooks, Z-degree, Zero Textbook Cost, ZTC
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